The Winner Takes It All
by CruxisCrystal
Summary: Superman is sweeping the world by storm, and Lex Luthor knows who he really is. Lois Lane is struggling to keep her head as Lex Luthor closes in, why does he think she has anything to do with Superman? rubbish summary sorry


Hey. Okay so this is my new story. Set three years after Smallville ends. How it ends? It will all be revealed in the story, as for the Smallville character, they are all in it at one point. Save for only a couple.

**Disclaimer: Smallville is owned by WB and Superman is owned by DC and WB? I'm not too sure. But someone else owns them.**

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**Chapter One**

**What's The Name Of The Game?**

Superman, superman, SUPERMAN. It was all she could think about, it was all anyone could think about. She wanted an interview, she needed an interview it was all she wanted and then she could move on with her life. Lois Lane had thought about getting out of the rat race and moving on with her life a million times but this Superman. Everyone wanted the story, everyone. Kids at school papers wanted the story, but no one had got it. Which was why she, Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen were standing in the office of Perry White who looked as though they had all kicked his dog.

"Why?!" He exclaimed standing up and looking up at them all, the vein on his forehead close to bursting point, his eyes were narrowed, "How?!"

Lois glanced at Clark and felt a smile creep onto her features before she turned to the editor with as much forced calm as she could, "Is there more to these questions Chief or are you just spouting off as many random questions as you can think of?" Lois heard Clark's intake of breath and threw him and exasperated look, when was he going to grow some balls?

Perry went redder than any of them had seen before, with just a tinge of purple his bloodshot eyes bulging, "Lane…you are jumping on thin ice here wearing steel boots! And don't call me Chief!" Clark stepped forward and Jimmy threw him a small smile, Lois on the other hand narrowed her eyes.

"Perry, we're working on it. Superman isn't giving anyone any interviews." Lois bit her lip and surveyed Clark carefully he had a habit of making situations worse rather than better. Perry looked at Clark and shook his head almost disbelievingly, Clark seemed to falter at the look in his eyes. It was as though they were sharing one of those strange moments that they often shared. When it looked like Perry White knew something that Clark knew, and Clark didn't know he knew. It was enough to drive anyone crazy.

"Look Ch-" Perry threw Lois a warning look before she spoke, his eyebrows shooting up almost vanishing beneath one of the lines that marred his forehead, "Perry, I don't know this superman. And to be perfectly honest I think the whole thing is a hoax. But if you want a damned interview you'll get it!" Clark eyed Lois with interest and Lois rolled her eyes, Clark Kent was getting on her nerves without even speaking, "Now if you don't mind, I've got an interview with Lex Luthor to get through. So if you'll excuse me." Lois turned on heel storming out of the room with as much conviction as she could muster storming over to her desk and picking up her jacket. The nice one that matched her grey trousers and pink blouse. A lunch date with Lex Luthor was the last thing she needed.

"Lois!" Lois turned her head and wrinkled her nose as Clark Kent hurried towards her a rather affronted look on his gentle features. Lois hoisted her bag over her shoulders and fixed him with a hard stare.

"What Smallville?" She asked her voice laced with disinterest and forced calm. She might not appear it but she was quaking inside, she and Lex Luthor had never really got on. Not after all the shit that had happened in Smallville and when he had been her editor.

"You never told me you were meeting Lex today." Clark said his eyes narrowed and his arms folded across his chest. Lois rolled her eyes to the heavens, touched though she was at his worry she'd much rather he didn't know. The history between Lex Luthor and Clark Kent was so murky that Lois often wondered why Clark hadn't tore Lex a new one by now. Lois would have.

"Oh gosh Smallville! Guess I forgot to fill you in on every little detail of my life once more. I'm so sorry!" She turned to leave and he grabbed her upper arm stopping her in her tracks. Lois closed her eyes and counted slowly to ten before spinning round and fixing him with a glare that would cause the bravest man to quake in his boots, "You going to let go of me Smallville or am I going to have to make you?"

"Lois, Lex is dangerous!" Clark pleaded his big eyes wide in…was that fear? Lois merely shrugged him off as his grip lessened and she smiled at him.

"Clark. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself." She almost laughed, "And besides we've got this "superman" looking after us all. I'll be fine. It's just a lunch thing to discuss his new plans for world domination." Clark fixed her with an equally stern glare, "I'm joking Clarkie." She said with a reassuring pat on his arm, "I'll be home for dinner. Which by the way you're making because I really don't think you want my meatloaf again. Considering what happened last time." She shuddered at the memory of Clark vomiting in the plant pot which had grown at a supernatural rate. Clark had discovered that it had been laced with meteor-rocks. So they had handed it to a museum.

"I'll order something in." Clark said with a worried glance at everyone else, "I'm chasing that senator story today…so I might be late home." Lois merely shrugged and patted him on the shoulder leaving the news room with a swagger.

"Not pizza Smallville!" She said as she lingered in the door, "I'm sick of pizza." Clark nodded at her looking slightly dumbfounded. Lois knew in the back of her mind that Clark wouldn't drop the whole, Lex Luthor is dangerous thing and she'd be thoroughly interrogated about it when she got home. It was convenient living back at the farm with Clark, the commute wasn't so bad and besides it was like old times. The place was generally her home as well anyway. And despite their many problems they had a pretty stable friendship. Something that nothing could shake. He had her back and she had his.

Lois sat at the bar where Lex had arranged the little get together…it had been a while since they had last crossed paths. Not since he had left Smallville at any rate. She ran a hand through her hair sipping her cosmopolitan trying to look like she fitted in, with the people surrounding her. It was more posh than she'd thought it would be. She frowned as a woman down the bar gave her a reproachful look.

"Lois Lane." Lois' breath caught in the back of her throat and she turned trying to keep her cool, meeting the eyes of someone she recognized too well. Possibly the only man she'd been in love with. Oliver Queen. Lois stood up nearly falling over her bag which she had left on the ground, her face was visibly flustered and she had gone beetroot red.

"Oliver Queen." She muttered in a voice of forced calm as he smiled that half smile that made her go weak at the knees. He gave her a very unsubtle once over with the eyes that seemed to scorch through her skin and into her soul. She smiled best she could after all it was the green arrow who was standing in front of her, "What brings you to Metropolis? Run out of bad guys in Star City?"

He laughed and sat down at the bar indicating to the bar tender for the same as she was having. Lois slid back into her seat with a little more grace than she had when she had jumped up, "What brings you here Lois? Not exactly your scene."

"What makes you think that Mr Queen?" She said in a voice that screamed "mocking", "I love being in the presence of snooty pricks." Oliver snorted, he was mid drink and some of it was dribbling down his chin. The bartender threw them both a reproachful look. Oliver smiled softly his eyes on hers.

"I've missed you Lois." He said gently and Lois found herself once more imagining a world where she and Oliver could have a life together. He was dangerous…so was she…it was just that niggling part of her that felt like it wouldn't work. Her mouth twitched and she smiled sadly.

"I've missed you too Ollie…" Oliver reached out and stroked her hand gently, "But…" Oliver withdrew his hand and looked at his drink, "I thought you were engaged." She turned her eyes harder now and her resolve strengthened, "And I've moved on." She hadn't…and that was the problem, he knew she hadn't.

"Can we at least meet tomorrow? Just for a couple of drinks?" Lois nodded, she owed him that at least. She was about to order another drink when a voice broke her slightly elated feelings…and it belonged to the baldest man in the city.

"Well, Well…Oliver Queen. You trying to steal my date?" Lois stood up with much more grace this time turning to Lex with a glare. Lex merely smiled, "Hello Lois, it's good to see you."

Lois turned to Oliver, "We'll talk later. I'm at the farm." Oliver nodded and threw Lex a disgusted look as he and Lois moved towards a table. She sat down in front of Lex and offered him the smallest of vindictive smiles, he was not going to enjoy this little interview. She'd make sure or that.

"So Lois…" He smirked, "You staying at that farm again? Can't the hot shot reporter afford her own accommodation?" Lois had been prepared for his snarky comments, after all it had been three years…so all the pent up frustration must have been building…with no one to vent on.

"I can." Was all Lois said her eyes on the floor, "But I choose not to." A vague answer followed by a rather interested look on Lex's part. Lois chose to ignore this and took out her recorder, Lex raised an eyebrow and Lois merely frowned, "What Lex?" She demanded, folding her arms.

"I figured this would be off the record." Lois looked at him sharply trying to judge whether or not he was joking when he noticed her staring he elaborated, "I called you to discuss some…things."

"No." Lois said stiffly, "You called me for an _interview_." She looked up at Oliver who seemed to think it clever to still be hanging around in the background. She was slightly pleased at that, her face became slightly flushed…she'd missed him more than she could admit, even to herself.

"There is no project H20 Lois." His voice was oddly menacing and it caused Lois to feel more than a little on edge, it had always been like this with Lex Luthor, the patronizing bastard that he was. He always acted like he had the upper hand in any situation. Which was true for most of them, she met Oliver's eyes subtly and she knew he knew that this wasn't going the way Lois had hoped.

"Then why am I here Lex?" Lois said, "Because I was under the bloody impression that you had some sort of story for me." Lois narrowed her eyes her hands on the table tapping away nervously, "You're wasting my time. I could be hunting down Superman right now, and instead I'm with you."

"Ouch." Lex said with a slightly disgusted look at her, "That's actually what you're here for." Lois bit her tongue, holding back her scathing remarks for when they were actually needed. She had a habit of jumping the gun, "Superman."

"No Lex." Lois said through her teeth, feeling highly embarrassed that she had actually agreed to this meeting. When Perry heard about this one he'd blow a fuse. She stood up, "I came here for a damn story." Lex's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, she raised her eyebrows this time, casting a warning glance in Oliver's direction, he looked though he was ready to kill Lex, "Unless you plan on getting your ass kicked by a girl Luthor I'd let go _right now_."

Oliver had stood up and was glaring at the scene, Lois could see him out the corner of her eyes. Lex smiled up at her and let go raising his hands in mock surrender his storm gray eyes boring into hers, "I just thought you would like to be a part of something big Lois."

"If it involves you Lex. Count me out." Lois hissed turning from him and walking away not quite meeting Oliver's eyes. He was looking at Lex with unadulterated loathing.

"That was me asking nicely Lois." Lex called to her as she pushed past the waiter to the door. She paused, lingering in the doorway uncertain whether or not she should speak. She cast her eyes in his direction once, not liking the vindictive look he had in his eyes, the maddening gleam which made her insides go cold. She pushed the door and left storming down the street her head held high. She wished she hadn't left the car at the Planet. She dug her hand into her purse pulling out her mobile phone her eyebrows contracted so much that she looked as though someone had just tried to shoot her.

"Perry White." Came the gruff voice on the other end of the line, Lois took a deep breath and rolled her eyes to the heavens.

"Chief it's me." Lois said with as much calm as she could muster, she was almost at boiling point now. She was looking across the street at a family eating ice cream and she smiled gently, it had an odd calming feeling about it. The whole situation. The father had the little girl of about four on his shoulders and was obviously saying something to make the mother laugh, "Project H20...doesn't exist."

"What?!" Perry demanded not sounding at all pleased, sort of summed up Lois' feelings on the matter.

"He apparently wanted to talk to me about Superman." Lois added, "I left before he could elaborate…he wasn't being particularly friendly and if I know Lex. And I do. The only thing he'd want to do with Superman is strap him to a bed and dissect the man…alien….thing."

"Lane get back and we'll talk about this." There was a slightly paranoid tinge to his voice now, "Just get back." With that he hung up, Lois frowned and put her mobile back in her bag. The family had gone now, and she was standing alone on the street. She turned to her right and started walking towards the Planet a sudden feeling of desperation falling upon her. She had been so stupid to fall for the interview bull shit. He knew she'd be dying for a chance to rip him a new one, and an expose would have done just that. He'd played on her passion for her job and it was hardly fair.


End file.
